Unlocking the Rythym of a Silent Heart
by B R Cary
Summary: Claudia Donovan and Steven Jinks had both experienced the pain of losing someone they loved, which caused them to close themselves off from those around them. But, together, they found that love could crumble the walls they had raised and unlock the places in their hearts that once seemed silenced forever.
1. Chapter 1

**Giving Rhythm to a Silent Heart**

Chapter One

Claudia Donovan was a woman on a mission. The mission she had chosen to accept was finding her errant partner and best friend Steven Jinks. The past few weeks Steve had been more "contemplative" than normal. Claudia had been trying to give him his seemingly needed space, especially in light of the news he had shared with her before we went into extreme serious mode. Steve had admitted to her he had come to realize he was actually bisexual, not merely gay. Claudia had teasingly tried to pry out of him if interest in someone had brought about the realization, but, for once, Steve was hard for her to read. But, then shortly thereafter, he had started spending much of his free time with Dr. Abigail Cho, the Warehouse's resident therapist and Keeper. The rest of the time he could be found meditating. At first, Claudia had not thought too much of the time Steve was spending with Abigail, since she figured he needed to talk through his recent discovery with someone. Yes, it hurt a little that he hadn't come to her, but as long as he was getting any needed help, she would deal with her own feelings. Then, when Steve started to spend SO much time with Abigail, a little tinge of suspicion began to take hold. It grew exponentially when she spotted Abigail walking out of his room that very morning. The two had seemed awfully chummy, so much so that neither one had even noticed her presence. She had tried to think of several reasons Abigail had been in Steve's room so early in the morning, but in light of his recent admission, only one came to mind. Then, at lunch, Steve had asked her to meet up with him later as he needed to talk to her. Claudia was glad it appeared her best friend was finally ready to open up.

Turning the corner of the stairs, Claudia headed toward the patio. As of late that seemed to be the place Steve had chosen to meditate and she was hoping to catch up with him, figuring that now was as good as any for their talk. But when she got to the door of the dining room, she stopped cold. Steve was indeed on the patio, but he was not alone. Abigail was out there with him, standing beside the patio table which was all decked out with candles, roses, and two place settings. Steve suddenly moved closer to Abigail and handed her what looked like a box from a jewelry store. Abigail opened the box, looked at its contents, and then reached out to give Steve a hug. When he returned the hug, Claudia felt she had been punched in the stomach. In one single instant, her entire world suddenly felt like it was ending. Feeling like she was going to be sick, Claudia ran up to her room.

The moment Claudia closed the door to her room, she felt the walls were closing in on her and she had a hard time breathing. How could Steve have kept this from her? How had she missed all the clear cut signs? What did this mean for their friendship?

Looking across the room, Claudia spotted the picture she and Steve had taken at the Civil War reenactment they had to attend for a case. She had always loved the photo because though it had been taken during one of their first cases together, it showed the two of them enjoying their growing friendship. But now she noticed something she had never truly realized before. In the photo, she was facing Steve, but he was facing away from her. Suddenly everything became clear. She was in love with Steven Jinks. She had never let herself truly entertain the thought because they all, including Steve himself, thought he was gay. But no matter when she told herself, she had fallen anyway. And now, when she actually had the possibility of having a chance with him, he had turned away from her and toward someone else. She had been replaced, rejected, cast aside. He had already began to distance himself from her. His wanting to talk to her must have been the final good-bye. Well, she was NOT going to stay around for that.

Claudia was throwing clothes into her duffel bag when she was startled by a knock on her door. Thinking it was Steve trying to find her for their 'talk', she yelled, "Come back, I'm busy."

There was a brief pause and then Myka's voice answered, "Sorry to bother you, but Steve wanted me to tell you to meet him on the patio in about an hour."

_Yeah, like that is going to happen,_ Claudia thought to herself as she lunged for the door. Yanking it open, she grabbed Myka's arm and pulled her into the room. "Myka, I need your help," she said as she closed the door behind her.

As Myka took in the half packed bag sitting on the bed, she inquired, "Did we get a ping?"

Claudia shook her head. "No, no ping. I need you to cover for me. I need to get away for a little bit and I don't want to have to clear anything with Artie because its not about anything I EVER want to talk to him about."

A look of concern crossed Myka's face. "What's going on?"

The caring tone in Myka's voice caused Claudia to look down at the floor to keep her tears at bay. Softly, she said, "I've lost him, Myka."

"Lost who?"

"Steve."

Myka's eyebrows wrinkled in confusion. "Claudia, Steve is right downstairs. Didn't you hear me tell you he wanted to talk to you later?"

"No, not physically lost, emotionally lost. I've been replaced, Myka, or I am going to be really soon."

"There is NO way anyone could ever replace you in Steve's life, Claudia," Myka pointed out.

"Really? Because it has already started to happen. On cases he barely says two words to me that does not pertain to the case. When we are home he is either meditating or spending time with Abigail. I would normally not think of anything of that because I know she has traveled to a lot of Buddhist temples and it's nice for Steve to have someone here who shares that interest. Then this morning I see her coming out of his room and I mean EARLY this morning. However the topper is that right now there appears to be a romantic dinner for two set out on the patio and guess what two people were out there with it. Even more damning, he handed her a jewelry box. He must have good taste in jewelry because a hug followed. I was NOT about to stay around to witness any kissing," Claudia said as she plopped down on her bed.

This garnered another look of confusion from Myka. "Okay, I can see where normally all those things might indicate a possible relationship, but why would Steve be interested in Abigail? He's gay."

Claudia snorted. "Turns out he recently realized he's bi."

"Oh," Myka replied as she sat down next to Claudia. "I guess that does change things."

"Uh, just like a lot." Claudia was quiet for a moment, twisting the tee she was holding in a knot. Sighing, she finally said, "I want him to be happy, Myka. I truly do. And Abigail is, I very reluctantly admit, is a good match for Steve in many ways. But if they are a couple, and signs indicate they are, where does that leave me? I know that sounds selfish, but no woman wants their man's best friend to be another woman. As close as Steve and I are or, rather, were, I am going to be seen as competition for his time and affection, even if that affection is only brotherly."

Myka paused thoughtfully and then said quietly, "And that is the worst part to deal with, isn't it? The part when you realize they don't return the feelings you have for them. You not only love Steve, but you are also in love with him as well, aren't you?"

A tear slowly fell down Claudia's cheek. "Hard not to be, but a fat lot of good it does me. I always knew the day would come when Steve would fall in love with someone, but since I thought it would be with someone of his own gender, I could accept it. Then today I realized I had secretly hoped he was telling me he was bi because he had the same feelings for me that I have for him. Knowing my gender is now a possibility, but I am not, that hurts deeper than almost any pain I have ever felt, Myka."

When Myka answered, the ghost of remembered pain was all over her face. "I know it does. You can't help who you fall in love with. You can tell yourself all you want that it will most likely end in heartbreak and tears, but your heart wants who it wants. And, despite all odds, you hold on to the hope that, one day, the person you want will want you, too. Then, when you are faced with the realization that person has indeed decided to build the life you dreamed of having with them, but have chosen someone else other than you to share it with, it can almost destroy you. But if you truly love them, you have to be willing to let them go."

"And if they come back, then they are yours," Claudia sarcastically replied.

"No, sometimes they come back, but they are still not yours." Myka paused again, and then said, "I had to process my feelings while on a case. I refuse to let you go through that. Go and do what you need to do. I'll handle Artie."

Claudia reached over and hugged Myka. "Thank you."

Smiling, although a bit sadly, Myka responded, "Anytime."

As Myka stood up to leave, Claudia called her name. Myka turned to face her. "HG was a fool not to see what she had in you."

Myka shrugged. "Steve, too." A look of understanding passed between the women. "Let me know when you arrive to wherever you go. You don't have to tell me where you are, just that you got there." At Claudia's nod, Myka let the room.

**Author's Note:**

I want to first thank you for giving my story a chance. As an author, that means the world to me. To me, writing is the food I eat and the air I breathe. If I have entertained you even in the slightest, that has made me a supremely happy person.

I found Warehouse 13 through my parents. If you knew my parents, that would be the weirdest statement ever. (My parents are NOT sci-fi fans.) But my dad told me that Claudia reminds him of me so I had to watch to make sure I was being portrayed accurately. ;D Then on the screen came one Aaron Ashmore. Sigh. I have been a fan of the Ashmore brothers for years, so, needless to say, I was hooked.

Steve and Claudia's relationship, for me, is the entire reason I watch the show. I mean no disrespect to the other characters when I say that, but Steve and Claudia are the ones I am just drawn to. I love how they interact with and totally support each other, but still maintain who they are as individuals. I wrote this story as an exploration of that. I am coming off a LONG bout of writer's block, so I kept writing and rewriting this story hoping to get my groove back. I am my worst critic, but I hope you find it even mildly entertaining and enjoyable. It will be several chapters long and I have the first two and most of the third written. I am hoping to get all three of those posted today. One word of warning, the chapters will vary in length greatly as I stopped them in the place where I felt it made most sense. I will try to get the others written and posted as quickly as I can, but I don't have the internet at home besides on my phone, so it will depend on when I get to someplace where I can type things up. (I know, the no internet at home thing is a shocker in this day and age and for the age I am. But it saves me money. lol) I promise never to abandon my stories, they just sometimes take a bit longer for me to write than they used to. I also promise to stay as true to character as I can. That is a big pet peeve of mine, so if you feel I am getting something wrong, please constructively let me know. If I have made an artist decision to do something, I will explain it in an author's note to give you a glimpse into my thought process, but it will also not be wildly out of character. Example: Steve's "discovery" will be explained in the next chapter and I promise, to me, remains true to character.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

A few days later, Claudia was standing on an old stone bridge, looking down at the water flowing beneath it. She had decided to come to Ireland because it was a place she had always wanted to visit. Since arriving, she had mainly been spending time taking walks through the countryside surrounding the village she was staying in. Though she was not normally an outdoorsy person, the sheer beauty of the landscape had proven to be a balm to her saddened soul. She had spent much of her first day in tears, just letting herself mourn the loss of what she and Steve had. Day Two brought with it anger. But on the current day, Day Three, she was more resigned. If she truly loved Steve as much as she claimed she did, then she would indeed have to be willing to let him go, no matter how much it hurt to do so. And it wasn't like she would never see him again. She would see him around the Warehouse and on cases. Well, that is if he remained her partner and he and Abigail chose not to leave the Warehouse. That was a thought she refused to entertain or deal with until it happened.

Sighing deeply, Claudia made her way back to her hotel room. Well, her cottage actually. She had found this quaint, little hotel which was made up of about a dozen or so cottages and since she was there just at the end of the travel season, she practically had the entire location to herself.

As Claudia opened the door to her cottage, a bit of movement in the corner of her eye caused her to quickly grab the Tesla out of her jacket pocket. Flipping on the light, she was greeted by the site of Steve sitting in the chair in the corner of the room. Though part of her was just as happy as always to see him, the other part, the part which had just started to let go, flared up in anger. How could she get over him if he was here? "Steve, what the frak are you doing here?"

Steve was leaning forward in the chair, elbows resting on his knees. He was looking at the floor and didn't even glance up when he replied, "Why did you just leave without telling me?"

"You came all this way to ask me that? Seriously?" Claudia asked as she rolled her eyes and put her Tesla back in her pocket.

"Maybe if you answered your phone, I wouldn't have had to come."

Ignoring the comment, Claudia demanded, "How the hell did you find me anyway? I didn't tell anyone where I was going. And how did you get into my room, for that matter?"

"I used a few tricks I learned from watching you. And you would be surprised what doors a Special Agent badge can unlock, despite being on international soil."

Though Claudia was secretly impressed with Steve's ingenuity, she was more annoyed. "How dare you use those against me? I thought I asked you once to stop being all Big Brother."

With that comment, Steve practically jumped out of the chair he was seated in. As he looked at Claudia, she was shocked at the sheer anger written all over his face. She could not recall when she had ever seen him so angry. "I am NOT your brother in any way, shape, or form. But when you suddenly disappear without a word to anyone, I WILL do whatever necessary to find you."

To Claudia, Steve's words about not being her brother figure was just more proof of the crumpling of their relationship. She seemed to miss the fact Steve had to be there for some reason. Instead, she said, "I just decided on a whim that I needed to get away for awhile. I have not had any vacation time since I started at the Warehouse. Plus I did tell Myka I was going. I just did not have time before my plane left to tell anyone else."

"Why do you still think you can get away with lying to me?," Steve asked out as he crossed his arms across his chest. "You might not have had any vacation time, but that is NOT why you left. If time was so critical, you could have called me, left me a note, or had Myka tell me you were leaving. And Artie would have known about any special missions or trips to see your brother. So, you want to try that again and maybe tell me the truth this time?"

Steve's comment caused Claudia's anger to flare again. "You know, I really don't have to clear anything with you or explain myself to you. As you pointed out, you are not my brother nor are you my boss."

"I am not saying you need to clear one damn thing with me," Steve shot back. "No, I'm not your brother or your boss, but I am your partner and I thought I was your friend, so a little heads up when you suddenly decide to disappear might be warranted."

Claudia raised her eyebrow. "Turnabout hurts, doesn't it, Jinksy?"

A look of confusion crossed Steve's face mingling with the anger. "Just what is that supposed to mean?"

"I might have left physically, but you checked out emotionally weeks ago. I kept waiting for you to talk to me, but that never happened. Ever since you told me you were bi, you have been avoiding me, not even saying more than a few words to me, even on cases. I kept wondering why, and then suddenly all the clues around me started to add up. Boy, did I feel stupid then because it's not like you are even trying all that hard to hide it. And it hurt that you did not feel you could share what was going on with me. But once I figured out what you weren't telling me, I realized how very drastically it would change everything between us, how deeply it would effect our friendship. So, I decided I needed to get away for awhile. I needed to come to terms with what that meant. I had to, in essence, mourn what we once had."

Since Claudia had turned away from Steve, she did not see the look of hurt and almost panic that crossed his face. In a strained voice, he said, "Claudia, what are you saying? Why does what I feel have to change anything? If anything, it should strengthen and enhance our friendship."

"Steve, how could this POSSIBLY enhance our friendship? The only way it could have possibly worked was if you saw me in a sisterly light, which you made clear you don't. If that had been the case, then I might, just might, have not been seen as competition for your affection. But NO woman is going to want the guy they are seeing to spend time with another woman."

The hurt and near panic on Steve's face gave way to confusion. "Claud, what the heck are you talking about?"

Claudia spun around to face Steve. "Why are you still trying to hide it?"

"Just what exactly do you think I am trying to hide?"

Hurt that Steve was apparently still not willing to tell her about his relationship with Abigail, Claudia decided to call him on it. "The truth about you and Abigail."

Steve's confusion seemed to deepen. "Abigail and I? I'm not hiding anything regarding her?"

"Yes you are. I know you are seeing her."

"What does that have to do with you running off to 'mourn' the end of our friendship? I told you I was seeing her. And why are you, of all people, judging me for that?" Steve inquired.

"I'm not judging you, Steve. I am trying to explain things. You seeing Abigail changes the dynamics of our friendship."

"But why? Because I went to her with this instead of coming to you like I normally would have? I wanted to figure everything out and make sure of how I truly felt before I shared anything more with you."

"And are you sure now?" Claudia asked softly.

Nodding, Steve replied, "Yes, I am."

Feeling her heart break all over, Claudia responded, "Then I hope Abigail fully appreciates what an awesome guy she is getting."

"Why would Abigail . . .," Steve started, and then paused for a moment as a look of understanding crossed his face. "Wait, I think we were having two completely, separate conservations just now. When you said 'seeing Abigail', you meant dating, didn't you?"

"Uh, duh." Claudia said.

"Why, exactly, do you think I'm dating Abigail?" Steve inquired.

"Maybe because you are. I mean, come on. You tell me you are bi and then suddenly you start seeing Abigail. At first, I though it was completely innocent, then, before I know it, you are spending practically all your free time with her. And, not that it is any of my business, but she was coming out of your room rather early a few days ago. I only saw that because I was leaving my room to head to the Warehouse, but since you normally don't have girls just randomly walking out of your room, at least not that I know of . . . "

"Whoa, let me stop you right there," Steve interpreted, holding up his hand. "Now, listen to me. l have indeed been 'seeing' Abigail, which, as I said, I did tell you about, but I am NOT seeing her in any romantic sense whatsoever. I have been meeting with her for counseling sessions. I needed to work through some things, which she was helping me do. And we had been talking about books during my last meeting with her so she stopped by that morning to borrow one of the books we had been discussing. She was there that early because I normally go meditate around then."

Now it was Claudia's turn to be confused and, if she were being truthful, a little embarrassed. "But what about the whole 'special' dinner on the patio? I saw the two of you out there and you were handing her a jewelry box."

Shaking his head, Steve laughed mirthlessly. "You might be a Girl Wonder, but you are NO Sherlock Holmes. Yes, Abigail was with me out on the patio, helping me set it up. If you recall, I had told you I wanted to talk to YOU that evening," he said, raising his eyebrows in implication of the meaning of his words.

Claudia stood there for a moment thinking about everything Steve had just said. Could everything she thought she had been seeing be explained away so easily? It did actually seem like a plausible explanation, especially if you factored in that Steve tended to fail horribly at lying to anyone on the team, most of all to her. And he had come to find her when she left without telling anyone. Add those facts onto her track record of jumping to conclusions where Steve was concerned and a completely different picture began to emerge than the one she had previously painted in her mind. Blushing, she said, "I've done it again, haven't I?"

"Well, it's not like I didn't have a hand in it, too. I should have just told you I was meeting with Abigail instead of assuming you knew what I meant," Steve replied. "We both tend to make decisions for or about each other without talking to one another first."

"We need to work on that," Claudia responded, and then she paused for a moment, trying to decide whether or not to make the next comment. Taking a deep breath, she decided it was an innocent enough comment. "It hurt to see you spend so much time with her."

Steve stepped closer to Claudia. "This is going to sound mean, but I am hoping the reason it hurt matches why I wanted to talk to you the other night. I am going to put myself, and my heart, on the line right now." He paused for a moment, and then took a deep breath of his own before continuing, "The day I told you I was bi, you asked me if I had figured that out due to an interest I had in someone. At the time I denied it, but that's not the truth. Attraction to someone did factor in and that attraction was to you. You have NO idea how much I wanted to tell you the truth, but I was still feeling conflicted and confused over the feelings I was having. I had worked through them just enough to know the attraction was genuine, but until I knew how deep it ran, I refused to tell you what I was feeling because, until I was 100% certain, I did not want to open up either of us to any hurt. Ironic, huh? I had already been talking off and on with Abigail, but I made those meetings more frequent because I wanted to get to my own truth. In talking with her, I realized what I thought was emerging attraction and romantic feelings for you had actually always been there. I had just written it off as part of our friendship. But I am grateful it happened that way because it allowed me, or rather us, to truly get to know one another, to develop that relationship first. You know me better than I have allowed anyone to in a long, long time. And I hope our friendship has also allowed me some insight into you. I do know you well enough to know one thing you must be curious about, especially since I did not discuss it during our last conversation about me being bi. I'm sure you have wondered if I was gay and then developed an interest in women as well or if I was bi first and then later decided to identify myself as gay. It's the latter."

Though Claudia's brain was going a million different directions trying to process what Steve was telling her, her curious nature prompted her to ask, "Why the change? I mean, technically bi, by definition, includes attraction to guys as well as girls, so what would it matter if you labeled yourself as bi or gay unless you lost total interest in girls?"

Steve sighed. "You're right. I shouldn't matter and there was a time in my life when it didn't. When I was teenager, I realized I was not attracted to one gender over the other. I was more attracted to who the person was. I went on a few dates with both sexes, but never really thought about labeling myself in any way. Then after Olivia was killed, I was not in a good place mentally or emotionally. Despite that, I did manage to get to know a few guys from my college's gay organization. When I told them I was attracted to both genders, one of them called me selfish and said I needed to choose which 'team' I was on. The other guys were quick to agree. I just wanted to forget the person I had been before I lost my sister and I wanted a place to feel I belonged, so I buried any attraction I had previously felt toward women and started to identify myself as gay."

"Sounds like those guys were not secure enough in themselves to deal with someone who obviously was. I also suspect that first guy had a crush on you and was afraid of a little female competition," Claudia said a bit teasingly, but also trying to ignore the twinge of jealousy she felt when Steve mentioned having dated other girls in the past.

Shrugging and blushing a little at the same time, Steve replied, "Without wanting to sound egotistical, that could have been the case, especially since I did end up dating that guy, although somewhat briefly. He ended up not really being my type."

"And I am?" Claudia inquired softly.

"Yes, you are," Steve responded, just as softly.

Secretly Claudia wondered if she was asleep and dreaming as there could be no way she was standing there listening to Steve tell her he had romantic feelings for her. Things like that just did not happen to her. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she said, "I can't believe I'm hearing this. YOU cannot be romantically interested in ME."

Steve obviously mistook the meaning of what Claudia had said because a look of hurt crossed his face. He started to turn away. "Oh, I guess I know where we stand, then. I will just go. I am sorry . . ."

Claudia put her hand on Steve's arm to stop him. "Hold on. I did NOT say your feelings were unwelcome, just surprising. Things like this just don't happen to me. I do not get the romance movie ending. Guys like you don't fall for girls like me."

Raising his eyebrows, Steve replied, "Claud, what does that even mean - guys like me, girls like you, romance movie endings? You are going to need to explain that to me because I am not as in touch with my feminine side as Pete is."

"Yeah, I got that when Pete joined me for the Real Housewives marathon a few months ago and you bailed. Okay, if this was a romance movie, you would the hot and highly prized leading man. I would be the gorgeous leading lady's sarcastic best friend or the leading man's sassy gal pal who is secretly in love with him but who he passes over for the leading lady. Either way, girls like me don't end up with the leading man types. They end up with the Fargo-esque guys, no offense to him. Women like Myka, HG, or Abigail are the type of girls who get leading lady status."

Steve moved to stand within a few inches of Claudia. "Don't EVER compare yourself to anyone else because you are perfect just the way you are. And though I would not consider myself 'leading man' material, I am smart enough to realize my sassy, best friend is the one person I want by my side, facing whatever life throws our way. You are the one I would - and did - die to protect. Only you."

With tears in her eyes, Claudia admitted, "I feel the same way. That is why I had to leave when I thought you were dating Abigail. I thought I had lost you. You mean so much more to me than merely being my best friend. You are truly the most important person in my life."

Reaching out, Steve cupped Claudia's face with his hand. Using his thumb, he brushed away the tears that had fallen. He leaned in closer and said softly, "You are never going to lose me. You are the most important person in my life, too. And, just so there is no shadow of any doubt, I don't merely have romantic feelings for you. I am in love with you." With that, he closed the gap and kissed her.

Claudia stood completely still for a brief moment, stunned by both Steve's admission and the feel of his lips on hers. As many times as she had secretly fantasized about this very thing happening, the actual event blew every one of those fantasies out of the water. Just as she started to kiss him back, things got even better when he wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her even closer to him. He moved his other hand from her face to bury it in her hair, using it to change the angle of the kiss. Tilting her head back, he began kissing her neck. Biting her lip to suppress a moan, she gave all control over to Steve, something she only felt safe enough to do with him. She spent a few moments just enjoying the feel of his lips on her skin and then she lifted her head back up and locked eyes with Steve. "And just so you are equally clear, I am in love with you, too," she said, breathlessly.

Smiling the dimpled grin he seemed to reserve solely for her, Steve ran his hand down Claudia's face. "You have no idea how happy that makes me."

Steve and Claudia stood for a moment, just looking at each other, and then they slowly moved toward one another and met in a kiss. This one was fueled by the knowledge and security of their feelings, making it even more passionate than their first kiss. When Claudia lightly ran her fingernails down Steve's back, he let out a soft moan. Breaking their kiss, he stepped back a few inches. To her surprise (and, let's be honest, her great delight), he reached down and pulled off the grey henley he was wearing, giving her an unrestricted view of the amazing body she always suspected he had. He was not overly muscled, which suited her just fine as she had never liked that look, but he had the long, lean, extremely toned body of a swimmer or, as in Steve's case, a yoga enthusiast. But what she had not expected to see was the tattoo located directly over his heart. Steve having a tattoo was not the shocking part as he had another one on his inner left arm. The surprising part was that the tattoo was of the metronome, but with a few minor changes. The adjustable weight on the top of the pendulum was now in the shape of a heart with a keyhole in the middle of it. Underneath was a key with the initials 'CD' on the bow and a ribbon coming off it with the words 'Only love can unlock the rhythm of a silent heart'. Claudia reached out and traced the outline of the tattoo, overwhelmed by what she was seeing. After a few seconds, Steve reached up and wrapped his hand around hers, holding them both over the tattoo - and his heart.

"You know I was not happy at first when I realized you used an artifact to bring me back. But after I had more time to think about it, I realized the goal I thought I had when I was undercover was not my driving force. I had thought my goal was to bring Sykes down as quickly as I could so he would no longer be a threat and while that was true, I realized my main goal was to complete the mission so I could get back to you. Once you brought me back, though I was not thrilled to be attached to an artifact, I was extremely happy to be alive, but even happier to once again be by your side. I only started thinking about finding a way to disconnect myself when I realized what my being attached to the metronome might mean for you. I refused to let you pay in any way for bringing me back. If taking myself off the metronome was the only way to completely keep you safe, I would have done it without hesitation. Yet, to me, the metronome is also a symbol of rebirth. Claudia, you brought me back to life, not just once, but twice. Before meeting you, I went to work, went home, ate dinner, and did not do much else. I cut myself off from any truly meaningful interactions. I was not truly living at all. I was merely existing. You brought joy and color and fun and laughter and conversation back into my life. It was fitting you used an artifact that acted as my heart to bring me back to life because you had already restarted my heart and restored my life long before that."

Wiping the tears that were falling down her face, Claudia said in a voice full of emotion, "Stop making me cry."

Smiling softly, Steve replied, "It was not my intention to make you cry in the first place."

Claudia shook her head in disbelief. "How did I go from this morning where I believed I had lost you to this evening where I find out you are in love with me?"

"Karma," Steve quipped.

This caused Claudia to laugh softly. She then moved closer to Steve and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his chest. Steve mirrored her actions, only laying his head on top of hers. They stood there for a moment just content to hold one another. After a few, long minutes, they both moved and met in a kiss that was as passionate as their previous embrace had been comforting. Claudia ran her hands down Steve's back, enjoying the feel and play of his muscles under her fingertips. Steve, in turn, reached down and unzipped the leather jacket she was wearing. He pushed it off her shoulders, and then unwrapped her arms from around him so he could slide the jacket down her arms. But when he started to slide her shirt up, Claudia tensed involuntarily, causing Steve to break their kiss and look at her.

"I'm sorry. I should have asked before I tried to do that."

Claudia blushed and looked at the floor. "No, I . . . it's just that . . . I mean I want . . . I . . ."

Steve put a finger under Claudia's chin and gently raised her head so he could look into her eyes. "Claud, nothing you tell me will EVER make me stop loving you, so just go ahead and say it."

Claudia sighed. This was one of the very few times she was aware of the age gap between her and Steve. Normally he treated her with such respect and equality it didn't even register. But how did you tell a guy who had likely had more than a few romantic partners that you had never had any? She knew to some guys inexperience was a turn off, not that she expected Steve to be anything but sweet to her. That was not what was bothering her and making her hesitate. No, her reluctance was due to the fact she had no knowledge of how to make the experience good for him. Yet, she couldn't just lie because he would know if she was. (Darn his lie detecting ability.) Taking a deep breath, she said softly, "Though I have been out on dates with a few guys I never . . . "

"You never slept with them," Steve finished. At Claudia's nod, a crooked smile crossed his face. "Would it make me sound like a total jerk if I admitted my jealous side was extremely happy about that fact?"

Claudia snorted, and then grew serious. "I just don't want to disappoint you," she admitted, almost in a whisper.

Steve ran his thumb across Claudia's cheek. "Claud, that could NEVER happen. It's not the number of people you have been with that makes the experience good or bad. It is the person you are with that does. Merely kissing you has been more amazing and fulfilling than any other encounter I have ever had. And if we are confessing things, then you should know that this will be first for me, too. I have never been with a woman before."

A look of confusion crossed Claudia's face. "But you said you dated women in the past."

"Yes, dated, but not slept with. You yourself said just because you went on a date with someone does not mean you slept with them. Overall, I was fairly selective in who I shared that part of myself with," Steve replied.

As Claudia thought about Steve's admission for a few moments, she realized it was in line with who Steve was. He, in many ways, was an extremely guarded and shy person until he trusted you enough to let you in. Kind, compassionate, strong, supportive - all those words could be used to describe Steven Jinks, but he could be those things without sharing too much of himself. If he was so guarded about his inner self, it made perfect sense that would carry over to sex. And, though she did not want to think about it, she really could not picture Steve being so flippant with sex and treating it as casually as Pete did. "Though I adore Pete, can I say thank you for not being like him."

Steve laughed. "You're welcome." He paused for a moment and then said, "Claudia, know that though I have never been with a woman, I do very much want to be with you. You turn me on like NO ONE ever has. But also know I will never pressure you into anything you don't want or feel ready for. Just being able to hold you will be more than enough to make me happy."

Claudia looked at Steve for the briefest of seconds before making her decision. She reached down and pulled her tee up and off. Pressing her body tightly against his, she reached up and cupped her hand against the back of his neck, using it to bring his head down so she could whisper in his ear, "I do want you to hold me . . . as you make love to me." She heard Steve let out a low growl seconds before she was wrapped up in his strong arms and being good and properly kissed.

Now on the same page, Steve and Claudia toed off their shoes before reaching out to undo the other person's belt and zipper on their jeans. A soon as they stepped out of their pants, Claudia found herself being walked backward toward the bed. When the mattress hit the back of her legs, she fell onto the bed, taking Steve with her. He continued to kiss her as he ran his hands up and down her sides. After a few minutes, he began a path down her neck, alternating between open mouthed kisses and licks of his tongue. He moved toward her shoulders, pushing the straps of her bra out of the way as he did. When he moved toward her chest, this caused Claudia to arch her back so she could get closer to this delicious assault. Reaching up, Steve undid the front clasp of her bra and continued his exploration of her body. After making sure both of her breasts were lavished with his mouth, he moved back up and locked his gaze with hers. She noticed his already gorgeous, bluish-grey eyes had darkened to a deep cobalt color which she instantly fell in love with, knowing she had caused the change.

Then, almost as if he read her thoughts, Steve said in a deep, gravelly tone she had never heard him use before, "I have dreamed of being with you like this more than you could possibly know. I cannot wait to explore each and every inch of you. I want to find out what makes you sigh, giggle, moan, but, mostly, I want to find what make you scream my name."

At Steve's tone and uncharacteristic words, Claudia felt her desire rachet up tenfold. She pulled him to her and the exploration of each other's mouth began anew. As they continued to kiss, they let their hands explore as well. Claudia felt Steve slide her underwear down her legs. Once he got them removed, he moved his hand back to where she wanted it most. After a few tentative strokes, he found a rhythm that had her throwing her head back in sheer pleasure. She heard sounds coming out of her mouth, but she had no idea what she was saying and she found she didn't care. The only thing which mattered was that Steve did not stop what he was doing. Then, without warning, she felt her release hit. As she lay there and tried to regain her breath, she looked up at Steve, who was wearing a sexy smirk.

Leaning over, Steve whispered in her ear. "Well, that one makes you scream my name. I will have to remember that."

Blushing at the fact that she hadn't even realized she had done that, Claudia pushed on Steve's chest until he was the one laying on his back. It was her turn to explore. "Just remember, Jinksy. Turnabout is fair play."

The smirk on Steve's face changed to a loving smile. "I'm all yours, Claud."

Sensing the double meaning behind Steve's words, Claudia smiled back and then she leaned in to give him a quick kiss. Moving so she was straddling him, she slowly began the same open mouthed kiss/ lick exploration of his body that he had graced her with. Once she got the metronome tattoo, she placed a kiss on it before beginning to move lower. The closer she got to Steve's belly button, the harsher and shallower his breathing got. When she got to the edge of the waistband of his boxers, she kissed a path along the top before pushing them down. As she did, she decided there was not a part of Steven Jinks that was not gorgeous. Though she knew she was not ready to perform oral sex, she did want to give him the same pleasure he had given her. Since she had never done this before, she used the sounds he was making as a guide. When it sounded like he was enjoying something, she continued that. When or if he didn't respond, she reverted back to what she had done that made him moan her name. She was so caught up in the fact she was able to touch her partner and best friend in such an intimate manner that she was taken by surprise when she found herself being grabbed gently under the arms and pulled up so she was laying on Steve's chest.

Looking a bit sheepish, she said, "As amazing as that felt, I had to stop you before . . . "

Giving Steve a sexy smirk of her own, Claudia said, paraphrasing his own words back to him, "Well, then, I will just have to remember that caused you to moan my name." Her grin grew as Steve gave her one of his own.

Leaning up a bit, Steve wrapped his arms around Claudia and kissed her as he moved them so she was once more underneath him. The couple spent the next few moments just enjoying the fact they could finally express openly what they had kept hidden for so long. Suddenly, Steve pulled back and buried his head in the crook of Claudia's neck. When he let out a frustrated sigh, she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Uh, I just realized I don't have any sort of protection on me. It's been a REALLY long time since I have needed anything for any reason and I was so focused on just telling you how I felt about you that I didn't even think to prepare for the possibility of this happening between us," Steve admitted, with a look of embarrassment on his face.

Claudia was quiet for a moment wondering if she should offer an alternative solution. She had been on the pill ever since getting out of the institution because all the tests and 'treatments' had left her system so messed up. Now, if it had been anyone other than Steve she would not even consider having sex without a condom, but this WAS Steve. And, actually, the thought of having no barriers between them was kind of a turn on. "I, uh, am actually on the pill and have been for a few years, so . . ."

Steve just looked at Claudia for a second, and then said quietly, "I have NEVER, EVER gone without a condom before, just so you know. And I always made sure to get tested regularly, so I know I have a totally clean bill of health."

Suppressing the urge to roll her eyes since Steve was being so sincere, Claudia replied, "If it was anyone other than you, I would insist on one, but I trust you, Steve. I know you would never do anything that might cause me harm."

"I love you too much to," Steve responded. After pausing briefly, he continued, "Again, we take things on your terms, Claudia. If you want to wait until we can get some extra protection, then we wait."

Blushing a little, Claudia decided to admit her earlier thoughts. "I must admit, I kinda like the thought of no barriers between us."

Steve's eyes darkened further as he replied, "So do I." Then he looked into Claudia's eyes almost as if seeking the truth in them. At her nod, he moved so he was once again fully above her, and then he slowly began to enter her.

Claudia fought to keep her eyes open at the sensation of being so intimately joined with her best friend. The only thing keeping her from closing her eyes was the look on Steve's face. Though he was already a very focused and centered person, the laser-like attention he was directing at her was the sexiest thing she had ever seen. It was like the only thing that mattered in that moment was her. Suddenly, he stilled. "This is going to hurt. If I could do anything to take on your pain myself, I would. But do what you need to do - bite me, scratch me, hit me, whatever it takes to ease your pain."

"Masochist," Claudia teased.

"Hardly. Again, just a man in love." With that, Steve pushed his hips forward.

Tears sprang to Claudia's eyes and she let out a quick gasp as she gripped Steve's shoulders. It wasn't as bad as she thought it was going to be, but it still definitely hurt.

Steve stilled his movements. "I am so sorry, Claud."

Meeting Steve's eyes again, she said, "Well, now you really can call yourself Spock because you just went where no man has gone before." At Steve's snort, she continued, "Now don't make me wait five years to complete the mission. Engage thrusters."

"Communication received, Uhura." With that, Steve began to move within her. Just like when he had been pleasuring her before, he hit an enjoyable rhythm within a few quick thrusts. Soon, the two partners were moving as one, keeping their eyes locked the entire time, almost as if they were speaking without words. It was the most connected either had ever felt with another person. Then, just like everything else they did, they went over the edge together. As they lay there trying to regain their breath, they both closed their eyes and just enjoyed the feeling of being together.

Claudia had almost started to fall asleep when she felt Steve run his hand down her face. Opening her eyes, she looked up at him. "Hi," she said shyly.

Steve smiled. "Hi, back."

"Um, not that I have anything else to base it on, but that was pretty good, right?" Claudia inquired softly.

"That was better than pretty good. I don't even think amazing would be able to describe it. That was the most intense connection I have ever felt with anyone." Steve admitted.

Claudia was quiet for a moment trying to absorb everything that had happened that evening. Looking back at Steve, she found him watching her quietly. "I am so glad you came after me."

Steve pushed a lock hair behind Claudia's ear. "I will always come for you, Claud. Always."

Claudia sighed contentedly as Steve leaned down to quickly kiss her, and then he moved to grap the his boxers. As he slipped them back on, Claudia grabbed his henely that lay discarded on the floor and pulled it over her head. After she did, she noticed Steve watching her intently. "What?"

"I never understood the fascination most guys have with seeing their girls wear their clothes. That is, until now. Let me just say, please feel free to wear my clothes anytime you want," Steve answered in the same deep, husky voice he had used before.

Blushing, Claudia rejoined Steve on the bed. He laid down on his back as she cuddled in beside him. He then pulled the covers over them and wrapped his arms around her. Claudia was feeling a little sore, but overall she just felt so amazing she was not going to let a little achiness ruin the feeling. Then a thought crossed her mind. "Hey, Steve. You don't have to leave right away or anything, do you?"

Steve gave Claudia a quick squeeze. "Nope, I told Artie I was not coming back until I got you to agree to, so I am here for as long as you are. If you want me to be, that is."

"Uh, duh."

Laughing, Steve replied, "Good, because I have it on good authority that you have not had a vacation since starting at the Warehouse, so I say one is in order."

Claudia smiled at the thought that even though Steve had been angry with her when she had said that, he still listened to her. "I love you, you know."

"I have heard a rumor to that effect. And I must admit I am relieved, because I love you, too."

It was Claudia's turn to hug Steve, and then she lay her head and hand on his chest. Within a few minutes, she was asleep, wrapped up in the arms of the man she loved.

**Author's Note: **

It's me again. Okay, here is the promised explanation of Steve's "discovery" or rather rediscovery. To me, it keeps things true to the show that his character is gay, but also includes a twist that would be able to include an attraction to Claudia. There are also times in our lives where things happen and we just don't want to be ourselves anymore. I can see that happening with Steve. The character even had the line where he said he wanted to leave the past in the past. And in "Second Chances" we saw just HOW deeply Olivia's death effected him so I think it makes sense that he would have wanted to reinvent himself.

The next thing I think people might see as out of character is how chatty Steve is in this chapter (and future ones). The show does have precedence for this, too. In "Queen for a Day", Steve does spend time regaling Claudia with stories about Olivia. Claudia is his best friend and I think he would feel comfortable enough around her to be willing to be talkative with her, especially if he is in love with her. :D

I know the Warehouse 13 fanfiction base is a small, but mighty group, and because of that, I would LOVE to know if you are liking this story and/or if I am close on the characterizations. As I said in the last chapter, I am coming off a major writer's block, so I am a little more hesitant with my own critique of how my stories are sounding. I would love your input. Thanks!

My goal is to get at least one new chapter posted a week. Again, as I have to type and post away from home, please be patient with me. I have the entire story outlined, but the actual story is still a work in progress.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Steve woke up and, for a moment, just laid in the semi-darkness trying to acclimate to the unfamiliar surroundings. Then he noticed a light weight on his chest. Looking down, he saw a very familiar head of red hair resting there. Suddenly, the previous evening came flooding back to him, causing him to smile. He could not believe he was here with Claudia and that he had finally told her he was in love with her. When she had taken off a few days before, part of him felt like he would never get the chance to share his feelings. His first thought when he had gone to collect her for their 'talk' and had realized she was not at the B&B was that she might have gone back to the Warehouse for some reason. But when he had asked Myka if she had spoken with Claudia, she lied to him, telling him she hadn't. That was when he stated to get concerned because, from Myka's behavior, it had been clear something was going on. Claudia normally told him if she was going someplace, especially after the whole Nick/Paracelsus incident. And she had known he had wanted to talk to her. When she hadn't shown up after an hour, anger started to creep in with the worry, even more so since she was not answering her phone. When two hours had passed, he just left everything on the table and went to his room, more hurt than anything else and questioning if he was right in telling Claudia about his feelings. He had spent the night tossing and turning, wavering back and forth until around 4 am when he could not stand the inaction any more. He stopped by Claudia's room and upon finding her still AWOL, he decided he would track her down. When he had first been partnered with Claudia, he had disagreed with her using her hacking abilities, even for good, and decided he would watch her closely to make sure she didn't do anything too illegal. That disapproval had changed over time and without him even realizing it, he had picked up a few tricks from her, tricks he had used one previous time to track her movements. And strangely, this time had actually seemed far more dire and important to him than tracking her movements to get the Janus coin. Since he was no where as good as Claudia at tracking, it had taken him nearly a full day to get her exact location and another day to get the arrangements made to follow her. The easiest part had actually been to convince the hotel owner to let him have the key to Claudia's room. He told Claudia he had flashed his badge, which was the truth, but he had also told the owner - a kindly, older woman - the truth, that he was coming to declare his love. The owner turned out to be a hopeless romantic who seemingly deemed him trustworthy enough to give him the key. The hardest part had been sitting in that chair just waiting for Claudia to come back from wherever she was. The longer he waited, the angrier he got until he was about ready to explode when she had finally walked through the door. Though it did not go at all how he envisioned or planned, he was glad the truth was out. He was even happier that she loved him in return. And he had NOT expected to make love to her so soon after declaring his feelings, but the moment he kissed her and had felt her body pressed up against his, his desire took over. All he could think about was being with her, about being linked not only to her soul, but to to her body as well. He had been telling the truth when he told Claudia it was the most intimate connection he had ever felt with anyone. But what she didn't know was that was how he normally felt around her. He had actually asked Abigail if the intense need to be around Claudia was healthy. Abigail had responded by saying wanting to be around someone, especially if you loved them as deeply as Steve loved Claudia was indeed normal and healthy. It only crossed over into the dangerous realm when it became an obsession or when you could not function without that person, but she did not see either of them at that point - yet. Yet, the fact remained that his entire world just made more sense when he was around Claudia. He felt more at peace and more himself.

Sighing quietly as not to wake Claudia, Steve looked back down at her. He had also been telling the truth when he told her that it had been a long time since he has been with anyone. Though he had led his co-workers to believe he had slept with Liam when he had last seen him the year before, in truth, he had not. Yes, Liam had offered for "old times sake", but he had declined. The real truth was the last time he had sex had been about a month before he had walked away from his and Liam's relationship. In fact, that was one of the factors in the demise of it. The connection he had once felt with Liam just was not there anymore, so despite still being attracted to him, Steve felt he could not, in good conscience, sleep with him due to his beliefs. He took to heart the Buddhist philosophy that sex should be the result of having a deep, satisfying emotional relationship with one's partner, where each person gave and received equally. A relationship strictly based on sex was no relationship at all. And that was what his relationship with Liam had become. Steve knew all too well the emptiness of those types of 'relationships'. His time with James, the guy who had called him selfish for liking girls as well as guys, had been that way. James had been his first sexual encounter and had offered him more than just that one night, but only if it was a 'friends with benefits' type of agreement. At first, Steve was okay with that arrangement. After all, he was a guy and did, actually, really like sex. Plus, at the time, he had not been in a place emotionally to be able to give anything more if James had indeed wanted an actual relationship. But, rather quickly, he realized that sex with no real emotional connection just ended up leaving him feeling extremely hollow and even worse emotionally. Knowing James did not want more than just a bed buddy, he ended things with him. A couple of drunken, one night stands followed after that, but those made him feel even more depressed, so he decided to swear off sex unless he was in a committed relationship. In his Junior year of college, he met Daniel, the guy who introduced him to Buddhism. He and Daniel dated for about a year before mutually deciding they were better off as friends. Daniel, just like Liam, had started to pull away before that decision. But, looking back, it was neither Daniel nor Liam that had been the emotionally distant ones, it had been him. He had not been able or willing to open up to them. He had written it off at the time as his natural reserve, but then he met Claudia and all that changed. There was just something about her that caused every wall he had ever erected to crumble, without him even being aware of it. Things he normally fought so hard to keep buried deep within him flooded right to the surface. Parts of him he had lost so long ago he forget were even there were rediscovered. Through Claudia, he found his true self again. For that alone, he would love her, but it was the person Claudia was that caused him to fall in love. When he was with Daniel and Liam, he thought he loved them. He had even thought Liam might be his "one". Now he realized he loved the idea of both men, but not the men themselves. Claudia had shown him what real, deep, true, forever love looked like. Both Liam and Daniel had always subtly tried to change him. Yes, he had changed since meeting Claudia, but she had not prompted him to make the changes. She had always accepted him for who he was. He had made the changes he had since meeting her completely on his own and Claudia accepted those changes, too. When he was with her, he found he wanted to be a better man, not just for her, but also for himself. With her he breathed easier, listened closer, and loved deeper. Not that she didn't annoy him at times, because she did, but even that was taken in stride. Even when they did disagree, those disagreements seemed to blow over in minutes as opposed to the hours it had taken with Daniel or the days it had sometimes taken with Liam. His and Claudia's deep and mutual respect for one another allowed them be secure in letting the other person have an opinion, even if it was different than your own.

Reaching down, Steve brushed back a lock of hair that had fallen in Claudia's face. He thought back to the previous year when he had been debated leaving the Warehouse because he had wondered if he was suited for the job. But now he knew this was exactly where he belonged. When he was with the ATF, his fellow Agents had merely been his co-workers. He would have classified a few as acquaintances, but not friends. But at the Warehouse, he not only had friends, but a family, albeit a dysfunctional one. He knew he had Claudia to thank for the others being so willing to accept him. And as crazy and insane as their lives sometimes were, he knew that his true place was with this family and, most importantly, by his partner's, in ever sense of the word, side.

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Streams of light hitting her eyes caused Claudia to slowly open them. As she reached down to grab the covers to pull them over her head, she caught sight of the fabric that was partially covering her hand. Looking down, she saw she was wearing a very familiar, grey henley. She blushed as she thought about the events which led her to be wearing said henley. Making love to Steve had been everything she had hoped her first time would be. And, if she was being truthful, it had been with the person she had secretly wanted to be her first. Okay, and second. And third. And millionth. All in all, she just wanted to be with Steve.

Looking over to the other side of the bed hoping to get a view of her sleeping partner, Claudia saw Steve was not there. Sitting up, she scanned the room, figuring he had gotten up to meditate. When she didn't see him anywhere, she started to panic until a sound in the next room caught her attention. It was the sound of running water. The sound caused her to realize that Steve was taking a shower, which meant he was naked, with water running down his toned body. Claudia closed her eyes for a moment and just savored the image. Then another realization interrupted her daydream. She then wondered if she could sneak into the bathroom and use the facilities without Steve noticing her in there. Seeing the bathroom door was cracked open, she decided to chance it.

Quickly walking to the bathroom, Claudia quietly pushed the door open. She tried to walk hurriedly past the shower, doing all she could not to think about the fact that a naked Steve was mere inches away with only a thin piece of cloth separating them. She had almost made it beyond the tub when a warm, wet arm suddenly grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into the shower. Squeaking in surprise, she found herself pressed up against a firm chest. Turning around, she was about to scold Steve, but the predatory look in his eyes stopped her cold. He pulled her to him and into an almost demanding kiss.

After a few minutes, Steve pulled back and said in a deep, husky tone, "As much as I love seeing you in just my shirt, it has to come off." Reaching down, he pulled the shirt up and off Claudia, tossing it on the floor outside of the shower. Once that was done, he put his arms on either side of her, essentially trapping her between him and the wall. If it had been anyone other than Steve trapping her in that way, Claudia would have either been scared or royally ticked off. But since it was him, she found herself majorly turned on by seeing this side of her normally calm and controlled best friend.

Reaching up, Claudia pulled Steve into another kiss. They stayed that way until Steve reached down and put his hands on the back of her thighs, lifting her up as he did so. Claudia instinctually wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. Moving so her back was lightly resting against the wall, Steve locked eyes with her and gave her a look, almost as if he was asking approval. At her nod, he entered her. Between the feel of Steve moving within her, his lips kissing her neck, the steam billowing around them, and the sound of the water, Claudia found herself racing to the finish line rather quickly. Just as she gave into her release, she felt Steve do the same a few seconds later. They stayed there trying to regain their breath until Claudia heard Steve chuckle softly. She looked at him questionly. Smiling sheepishly at her, he said, "Um, good morning."

Giggling, Claudia replied, "It is now." When Steve broke into her dimpled grin, she added, "Well, that was indeed good . . . and dirty."

Steve chuckled again as he lowered Claudia back down. "I guess it's a good thing we are in the shower then, huh?"

Claudia had the thought that most people would be surprised to know what a wicked sense of humor Steve had when he wanted to. She loved he was comfortable enough around her to let her see a side of him not too many people got the privilege to. But she, too, could throw out some zingers. "Definitely a whole new take on the proverbial 'power shower'."

Steve snorted. "Let's not mention that to Pete. No need to give him any ideas. What he does outside the B&B needs to stay outside the B&B."

"Good luck with that," Claudia replied, and then she paused for a moment. "So, if you and I showered together back home, would that mean we would get to combine our allotted times?"

"It might save water . . .if we actually showered," Steve answered, a devilish grin forming on his face.

Sighing, Claudia replied, "I guess we should do that before the water here gets too cold to, huh."

Leaning down, Steve whispered in Claudia's ear, "You don't know just how many cold showers I have had to take the past year or so after being around or even merely thinking about you. Let's just say, it feels strange to actually be taking a warm shower."

Blushing, Claudia mumbled, "Now I need a cold shower."

Chuckling once more, Steve turned toward the shower spray giving Claudia a view of his sexy back, as well as the two tattoos he had on his right shoulder blade. One was what looked like a circle with eight symbols within. Underneath was writing in what appeared to be an ancient language. "Dang, how many tattoos do you have?"

Turning back around, Steve said, "Just the four. Why, do they bother you?"

"Yes, but soooo not in the way you are thinking. They are sexy as hell."

Raising his eyebrows, Steve responded, "So, you have a thing for tattoos. Really good to know." He grabbed Claudia around the waist and moved her so she was standing in front of him and under the spray. "Maybe I will have to get another one and let you pick out the design." With that said, he picked up the shampoo, put some in his hand, and proceeded to wash Claudia's hair.

Claudia closed her eyes at the sensual feel of Steve's hands in her hair and on her body as he washed her skin. No one had ever treated her with such love and care, almost like she was some precious treasure. Then she realized Steve always treated her that way. Opening her eyes, she looked up at him. "Why are you always so good to me?"

"What do you mean?" Steve asked, his confusion written on his face.

"I am not used to people treating me like you do. With annoyance, yes. With tolerance, sometimes. With condescension, frequently. You treat me like I am your equal, but mixed in is this, I don't know, almost deference that I am not used to people treating me with."

Steve reached out and turned off the shower. "Well, you should be treated that way more."

"But why? I'm not anything special."

Running his hand down Claudia's face, Steve said, "Claud, I could list a million reasons why you should be treated with all the respect and deference in the world, but mainly it all just boils down to one thing . . . because you are you. I treat you the way I do because of who you are."

"And that is exactly why people treat me the opposite way," Claudia sighed, pushing the shower curtain to the side.

Steve grabbed a towel and wrapped it around Claudia. Leaning down, he kissed her forehead. "Hey, where is my confident Girl Wonder?"

Claudia shook her head to clear it from her sudden negative thoughts. She should be ecstatic right now as she was with the man she loved, who loved her in return and who just made love to her. "You're right. I don't know where those morose thoughts came from."

Grabbing another towel, Steve wrapped it around his waist. He pulled Claudia to him in a hug. "Claudia, never be afraid to express your feelings to me. As I said last night, nothing you tell me will ever make me love you less. But I also don't like it when you discount yourself or compare yourself to others. You are in a class all your own, which is why I love you."

Claudia smiled up at Steve, as she laughed softly. "Only you can, in essence, lecture me and somehow make me feel better."

"It's one of my many talents," Steve quipped back.

"Okay, Mr. Talent, now that I am showered, I expect to be fed," Claudia said as she unwrapped from Steve and walked into the bedroom.

"Is this all part of the feeding and keeping of Claudia Donovan?" Steve asked playfully as he followed Claudia.

"Yep, it's fully your responsibility now."

"Any other rules I need to know?"

"Thankfully, as my best friend, you know most of them."

Steve kissed Claudia on the forehead once more, and then turned to walk across the room. As he did, Claudia took the time to admire his body since the towel was not doing all that much to cover it. Just as Steve was about to pick up the bag she hadn't noticed the night before, she walked over and wrapped her arms around his waist and placed a kiss between his shoulder blades. She then kissed a path to the tattoos on his upper back. "So, what exactly do these mean?"

"The circle contains the eight auspicious symbols of Buddhism. The writing below is a Buddhist teaching which says 'There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.' It is in Pali, which is the language the original writings of Buddha were written in. The tattoos are on my back to remind me to leave the past behind and be ready to embrace the future," Steve said, looking back over his shoulder.

Moving around Steve so they were facing each other, Claudia inquired, "And what do you see in your future?"

Running his hand down Claudia's face, Steve replied, "You. I always see you."

Claudia looked at the floor. "There you go making me cry again?"

Steve just smiled. "I would say I will work on that, but instead I will work on getting you to believe that I love you."

"My heart knows you do because I can feel it, but my head keeps telling me you are crazy for doing so."

"Well, we do work in Crazytown" Steve joked, but then paused for a moment. "But seriously, Claud, I will tell you I love you as many times as it takes for your head to believe it."

Steve leaned down and pulled Claudia into a sweet kiss, which soon escalated. After a few, long moments, she moved back slightly and said in a breathless tone, "Breakfast might have to wait because now I need you to feed another hunger."

"Believe me when I say it will be my pleasure because I am feeling it, too," Steve replied as he pulled the towel off Claudia's body and walked her backwards toward the bed. "I hope this place has room service because I don't think we will be leaving this room today."

**Author's Note**:  
This chapter did not turn out at all how I originally planned. Steve and Claudia were in more of a sexy mood than I had originally planned, but I figured best to keep them happy. ;-) And I will admit is a little of a filler chapter and a bit of fluff, but I wanted to explore Steve's romantic past a bit without turning it into a long, drawn out conversation. Plus the shower scene was just of a sexy interlude that kind of would not leave my brain.

I LOVE that the show doesn't cover Aaron's tattoo because it adds something to the character of Steve. At first glance, Steve doesn't appear like a guy who would have a tattoo, so it becomes really sexy that he does. Claudia's opinion about tattoos in this story is my own (after all, my dad thinks she is just like me), so, because of that, I gave Steve a couple more because I like a guy with a few tats. Lol. But I wanted them all to have meaning, so I researched Buddhist symbols, sayings, and original language to make sure I got it right.

Also, Steve's views on sex are directly in line with the Buddhist faith. In my research, I came across this view and thought it fit to the type of person I saw Steve being and that his faith would only strengthen that resolve.


End file.
